Around 18 months ago, I bought a pair of Alpinestars GP Pro gloves from Hein Gericke – these are £130 gloves I’m talking about, so not cheap rubbish.

Sadly with limited use – one trackday, RBLR1000 1,000 miles in 17 hours and some very occasional weekend rides – one strap fasterner had started to come away from the rest of the glove.

So after my trip to the Gorges de l’Ardeche in France with some mates this summer, I got in contact with Hein Gericke’s Customer Services department and a guy called Ross Marchant. He told me that Hein Gericke would either repair or replace the gloves if I sent them back to Hein Gericke: either option was fine as far as I was concerned.

On 16 September 2011, he e-mailed me over a returns note, saying:

“Please return your goods back to the following HG FREEPOST address for a refund or exchange…”

On 19 September 2011. I e-mailed back saying:

“Dear Mr. Marchant,

Many thanks for this.

Just to let you know, the Alpinestars GP-Plus gloves were posted on Sunday so they’ll be collected at the postbox I used this afternoon and hopefully be with you shortly after that.

Kind regards,

Richard”

A couple of weeks later, having heard nothing in the meantime, I e-mailed Mr Marchant on 7 October 2011:

“Dear Mr Marchant,

Any news on the repair/replacement?

Many thanks,

Richard Morris”

Nothing!

On Christmas Eve, 24 December 2011, I followed it up, coying in Hein Gericke’s Customer Services e-mail address too:

Dear Mr Marchant,

Any news on the repair or replacement gloves?

It’s been months now with no news and no gloves at all!

Richard

Still nothing! Not even an acknowledgment.

Today I’ve followed it up yet again:

“Dear Sirs,

I cannot believe how appallingly bad the lack of customer service is at Hein Gericke.

Not only am I without any gloves at all – expensive ones at that – but also you never reply to any of my follow up e-mails.

When will I receive my gloves back, a new pair or a refund?

Yours faithfully,

Richard Morris”

This time if I still hear nothing from them it’s off to the Small Claims Court, I think. Hein Gericke? Avoid them like the plague: they’re clearly only interested in taking your money for defective goods and then ignoring your complaints.